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Jan 15, 2024
Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou feels like an anomaly in the modern anime world.
Despite being produced by arguably the most well-known animation studio currently in the game (MAPPA) and written / directed by one of the greatest living authors in the Slice of Life-genre (Mari Okada), this movie has had almost zero marketing or "hype" behind it. Its theatrical release in Japan came and went without much fanfare, until Netflix eventually bought the rights to it and decided to all but shadow-drop it on their platform. No one I talked to even knew this movie was coming out, which makes its "non-existence" in the
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public eye all the more confusing to me, especially considering how good it actually is.
First up, let's touch on the story. The story is... good, but convoluted. If you've read or seen a Mari Okada work before, you'll know more or less what you're in for: sharp dialogue, introspective characters, a mystery element that is somehow both well-defined and not explained much at the same time. The pacing is race-car fast - the movie expects you to pick up on certain concepts very quickly, and does not slow down to re-explain or hammer home things you may have missed. Multiple viewings may be necessary for certain people in order to fully understand what is going on at all times, but that shouldn't be much of a problem when the whole thing looks and sounds THIS GOOD.
Because yes, of course the movie looks phenomenal. We're talking Makoto Shinkai "Your Name" levels of animation quality here, but you already knew that, because the movie is made by MAPPA, and if there is one thing MAPPA consistently gets right, it's the visuals. I shudder to think how hard the animators must have worked on some of the segments here, because they're truly spectacular - easily up there with some of the highest-quality and most striking movie animation ever produced in the medium.
The music is good, if not a touch unmemorable. The main theme is recognizable but not catchy, and does its job well enough. It immerses you in the scene and elevates the action, which is the most important thing for a soundtrack to do. I'm not likely to listen to it on my own time outside of the movie, but I liked it as a companion piece.
I'm hesitant to write much more here out of a fear of spoiling things for any potential viewers - because I genuinely do want you to watch this movie. It's a beautiful piece of artwork full of heart from a studio at the top of its game, likely produced at the cost of its creators' own health (it's no secret that MAPPA treats its employees like shit.) And despite having a story that can, at times, be a little confusing and convoluted, it contains a very human tale of what it means to love something in the face of absolute despair, and the human spirit's ability to persevere against all odds.
So do yourself a favor and don't sleep on this like everyone else is doing - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 17, 2022
Made in Abyss is a Dark Fantasy show so ridiculously good, I'm almost convinced Tsukushi-sensei (the author) is an actual God amongst men, who possesses divine insight and creativity the likes of which no mortal can ever hope to attain. How a show can be so tremendously f*cked-up and dark, and yet remain so incredibly human and touching at the same time, is a mystery the likes of which I'll never truly be able to comprehend. Almost every single aspect of this show is great: the world, the characters, the plot, the voice actors, the music, the production value... It's so good, I can scarcely
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think of a single negative thing to say here, other than the fact that you have to be able to stomach some truly gut-wrenching stuff.
The only reason I would ever hold off on recommending this to anyone, is that once you've seen Made in Abyss, there is precious little in the anime world, and perhaps in all of fiction, that can ever hope to match it. This season, much like the first one, is an absolute masterpiece, and a must-watch for any anime fan.
So set forth, Cave Raider, into the depths of the Netherworld once more; for it is through the Abyss that we are connected. But remain wary - for there are horrors lurking in its bowels that us humans were never meant to discover.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 19, 2020
Okay so I just finished watching DanMachi Season 3 and feel the need to rant about it to someone who'll actually listen. Basically all of my friends dropped the show during the second season (which I don't really blame them for) and so I turn to the review section for some much needed catharsis.
First of all, I'd like to start by addressing the art and animation. In my opinion, it felt REALLY lackluster this season. Everything looks so... flat and lifeless, and there's this stiffness to the animation that makes it really difficult for me to immerse myself in the story. It just feels like
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this entire season was made on a miniscule budget, by people who had no passion left for the IP what so ever.
The art is not the main problem I have with DanMachi Season 3, however. That would be the story. In my opinion, it just... really wasn't that good, or interesting. I didn't care about the "people" I was obviously supposed to care about, nor do I feel particularly intrigued by Bell's never-ending quest to help everyone he encounters. And when you really think about it, NOTHING OF CONSEQUENCE ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN THIS SEASON.
Spoiler warning for those of you who have yet to finish the season!
Alright, so, I can't be the only one who thought the story was mad weak this time around. Bell encounters the Xenos, wants to help the Xenos, Xenos goes to the surface, stuff happens and they end up right back where they started again: IN THE DUNGEON. Like, wtf? Nothing of substance actually happened? Hello?
The people of the surface did not come to accept the Xenos. The Xenos didn't establish a secret base on the surface where they could fulfill their dreams of living under an open sky. Nobody even really knows the truth about the Xenos except Bell and a select few others.
They go to the surface, just to go straight back down into the Dungeon again. Everything ventured, but absolutely nothing gained. The only difference it made was that Ais Wallenstein and like one side character in the Loki Familia found out about their existence and came to somewhat accept them. That's it. Nothing more.
Alright spoiler over.
The weak story combined with the mediocre-at-best visuals and uninteresting characters just made this a really bad season for me. I don't know if we're getting a Season 4, but I have to say, I'm kinda hoping we don't. I feel entirely done with DanMachi at this point, and I doubt I'll bother to watch any more of it unless the production quality suddenly skyrockets or the story starts drastically picking up.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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May 24, 2018
So we have finally reached the halfway point of Season 4 of High School DxD, putting an end to the first of two arcs, and so far, I gotta say, I'm actually fairly impressed.
High School DxD has long been what you might call a "guilty pleasure" of mine, despite its obvious flaws and shortcomings. The easygoing Issei and his harem of anime tiddies just has a certain... charm about it that I can't really seem to find anywhere else. After the horrible 3rd season, studio Passione has taken on the job of "fixing" the DxD storyline, by adding an alternative (true to the light novels)
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ending to Season 3, effectively rendering the last 3 episodes of TNKs version obsolete. This was, in my opinion, the best thing they could have done, seeing as the ending of Season 3 left very little to work with for future adaptions.
Now, Season 4 is not without its flaws. The art style is... weird. At first I absolutely hated it, but now, after 6 episodes, it's really starting to grow on me. The characters look more "childish" for sure, but that kinda fits the setting a little bit better, at least in my opinion. It is, however, definitely something you'll just have to get used to if you are planning on watching the new season.
The story so far really isn't anything to write home about either. Issei and his friends go on a school trip to Kyoto, where they run into trouble. That's pretty much the gist of it. There is some other stuff happening "behind the scenes" too, if you will, but I won't really go into that seeing as that would be spoiler territory, and chances are some of you might not have seen all of the recent episodes.
The ecchi part is still very much alive and kicking, with every episode featuring at least one "sexy" scene. After all, High School DxD would not be High School DxD without the ecchi, and I'm happy to report that Passione seems to understand this. And on top of this, the new season also fleshes out the relationship between Issei and Rias even more than before, so if you are a Issei x Rias fan you are going to be very satisfied with the way their relationship is handled here.
The music of DxD has always been one of its strong-points, and the new season does not disappoint on that front either. The OP is catchy and enjoyable, and the ending song gets the job done too. I really don't have anything else to say about it, the music is alright, nothing special but alright, and that's pretty much it.
Overall, I'd say I was positively surprised by the new season of High School DxD. The story, albeit predictable, is interesting enough to keep your attention, and Issei and the gang has lost none of their charm, and are still enjoyable to watch. And at the end of the day, isn't that exactly what we've come to expect from DxD? Some light-hearted humor, ecchi scenes and well-animated fights?
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 18, 2018
Have you ever been so bored in class that you start to daydream? I certainly have. And I like to think that I speak for the majority of us when I say that we have all had that one daydream in which we imagine ourselves as the most popular and attractive guy at school that every girl wants to sleep with. This anime is pretty much that daydream made reality.
In this show, we follow the young high-school boy Issei Hyoudou, who, unlike others who dream of academic success and having a lot of money, has a rather simple goal in life. He wants to be
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Harem-King. As in he wants to have the largest harem known to man. With this respectable goal in mind, he sets out on his journey to conquer women and build his peerage. And boy, does he succeed.
There is one simple fact that we as viewers have to keep in mind when watching this show: everyone, and I mean EVERYONE wants a ride at the Issei Express. Black-haired, half-angel, daughter to one of the most dangerous creatures known to man? Completely reformed after the Issei D. Up-and-coming heir to the throne of the underworld, next in line to be crowned Satan herself? Conquered and subdued by Issei, the harem demon.
After watching enough episodes of this show, you'll hit the point where you wish it actually WAS a hentai rather than an anime, just so you could see Issei fully "liberate" all of these girls. The sheer amount of fan-service and sexual tension in this show is simply through the roof.
Similar to a black hole, Issei's harem just. doesn't. stop. expanding. It will get bigger and bigger the longer you watch, and your d*ck will get harder and harder as it does. Its pretty much like watching hentai without the actual "act", a complete c*cktease.
If you decide to watch this show, I can almost guarantee you that you will pop a boner at least once or twice, so don't watch this show in close proximity to someone you would rather not disappoint. Its the perfect "disappoint-your-parents starter package", and I wouldn't want it any other way.
So godspeed my fellow gentlemen, and good luck explaining to your friends that its not hentai when they inevitably catch you watching it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 18, 2018
Alright, so right now you are probably thinking: "Hey, isn't this that show where the main protagonists are siblings and in love with each other and there's incest and sh*t?". And I can't deny it, you are right to some degree. But there's also so much more to this show that a lot of people seem to just gloss over, so in this review, I'll be attempting to explain why I found Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei to be as enjoyable as I did.
Now, a very important thing to note when it comes to this show, is that it's not for everybody. If you are the
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type of person that absolutely hates overpowered characters, turn around right now, because this show isn't for you. In order to fully enjoy Mahouka, you as a viewer have to come to terms with the fact that our main protagonist, Tatsuya, is literally God in human form. This guy doesn't know the definition of the word "lose", as he has never lost in anything ever. This is the type of guy that goes 32-0-12 in League of Legends and singlehandedly carries your entire team to victory like its nothing. As long as you can accept the fact that Tatsuya = God, you are good to go.
The second point I'd like to touch on is the topic of "incest" in this show. Our godlike protagonist just so happens to have a little sister, who (of course) is madly in love with him. Now, where other shows like to use the excuse of "they are not related by blood", this show wears its incest coat with pride, clearly stating that they are biological siblings and still in love. I'm not gonna lie, this kinda rubbed me the wrong way initially, as I just found their relationship to be incredibly weird, especially considering that they are LEGIT SIBLINGS, AND THIS KIND OF LOVE GOES WAY BEYOND THAT WHICH IS NORMAL FOR SIBLINGS. But after getting into it, you start to realize that their incestuous relationship really doesn't mean a whole lot in the larger scope of things, as there are only a few scenes in the entire show where the creator really points out the fact that yes, they are siblings, and yes, they are indeed in love. It's really up to you whether you think this kind of relationship is okay or not, and whether you are willing to tolerate it.
However, where this show really starts to shine is in its worldbuilding. You see, magic in this world is more akin to that of science than the traditional wizards and spells. Each magic "spell" is built up sorta like a mathematic formula, where long components have to be correctly put together in order to perform actual working magic. Its obvious that the creator of this show really wanted you to learn about his type of magic, as a good deal of time is spent explaining the different magic spells and how they work. This can get quite heavy at times, with exposition-heavy dialogue that carries on for tens of minutes just to explain what it was you just saw. If this kind of thing turns you off, I would not recommend picking up this show, as you will quite simply be bored out of your mind.
TL;DR: Now, with all of that said, I still found Mahouka to be a genuinly enjoyable show. Its entertainment value is simply through the roof, and I often found myself thinking "damn, that was so badass". In a world full of weak male protagonists that needs to be protected, Tatsuya really stands out as the "alpha dog", as he is pretty much the human incarnation of the phrase "1v5 me irl bro". If you are looking for a deep show with rich psychological value and philosophical thoughts, you are better off elsewhere. But if you are looking for a show where you get to see a human God fight terrorists and other threats with magic, this is exactly the thing for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Oct 28, 2016
Now, first of all, let me just say that I don`t usually watch these types of anime. I tend to stay away from the romantic-comedy-slice-of-life type of shows, because they are for the most part incredibly predictable and just flat out boring. So when my friend suggested me to check out Toradora, I was expecting it to be yet another run-of-the-mill romcom. But oh boy, how wrong I was. Toradora turned out to be an absolute masterpiece, and probably one of my favorite animes.
Now, things start out slow in this anime. For the first couple of episodes, I wasn`t really into it, and I
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was just looking to finish the darn thing as fast as possible (I had promised my friend I would watch the whole thing). But despite having this negative attitude, I couldn`t stop watching it. For some reason, I kept clicking the "next episode" button over and over again. After episode 5 or 6, I was completely hooked. It took me two days to finish all of the 25 episodes, and oh man, what a f*cking ride.
You see, the bread and butter of Toradora is the characters. They are masterfully written and acted out, designed to work off of eachother. Every character has a different personality, and instead of only falling in love with one character (like I usually do), I found myself caring about each and every one of them, interested to see what they would do next. The humor in the show is actually funny, and it`s a joy to see how all of the characters interact with eachother. Toradora is, in a nutshell, all about the characters, and how their personalities develop over a long amount of time.
The story is sadly somewhat predictable, and I knew how it was going to end by basically just looking at the cover art for the show. But after watching about 10 or 11 episodes, I started to realize that even though I knew how it was going to end, I had no idea HOW the characters would eventually reach that "position", so to speak. I had no idea how the story would pan out and eventually reach that satisfying conclusion that everyone here on MAL agrees is probably one of the best endings ever. And let me tell you right now, the ending is absolutely perfect, and makes it all worth it. It really feels like you have gone on a journey with these characters, seen them grow over time and eventually reach that amazing conclusion.
The show is also supported by what must be some of the most incredible soundtracks and beautiful background music I have ever heard. Some of the saddest scenes in this show (which would have been incredibly sad even without the music) is made even sadder by a beautiful piano soundtrack that literally makes me tear up every time I hear it. During some of the scenes in this show, I had to blink away the tears from my eyes. Only a select few animes has ever managed to make me tear up before, but this show just did it for me.
Toradora is one of those shows that grows on you over time, and I promise you that if you have the patience to watch a show with a slow pace and steady character development, you will end up absolutely loving it. I cannot recommend this anime enough, and I would suggest that you drop everything you are currently doing, sit down, and start watching this show. By the time you reach that satisfying ending, you will be probably be completely absorbed by Toradora`s world and characters, and it will be in your head days after you finished it.
This show is an absolute masterpiece, and that`s why my final rating for Toradora is a 10/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Oct 24, 2016
"Oh my... what the hell did I just watch?" was probably my first reaction after watching the final episode of "Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou". Or as I like to call it, "Living With Incompetent, Horny Girls That Just Happens To Be Monsters". But hey, lets be real here. Just like the main character in this show, you would probably shove your p*nis inside anything as long as it has a pulse and somewhat classifies as a female.
I really have no idea what to say about this show. It left me quite frankly speechless, and I can`t tell if that is in a good way.
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So lets get this review started.
STORY: 5
Now the story in this anime isn`t going to win any prizes. The main character, Kimihito Kurusu, is tasked with taking care of multiple monster-girls who, for some reason, all want to f*ck his brains out (hey its an anime okay? About horny monster girls. What were you expecting?). That`s basically the long and short of it. I`m not going to say a lot about the story, since it is, in my opinion, just mediocre, and not worth talking about. But hey, at least you now have a rough idea of what`s going on in this anime.
ART: 6
I really didn`t have a problem with the art-style in this show. The characters and backgrounds are pretty well drawn, and the animations are, for the most part, fluid. There were some scenes that weren`t as good as others, but I didn`t really expect much from this anime, and lets just say that I was pleasantly surprised by how... okay?... it looked. But if you are looking for an anime that pushes the boundaries of what`s currently possible within animation, you sure as hell ain`t gonna find it here.
SOUND: 5
To be 100% honest with you guys, I didn`t really pay a lot of attention to the different sounds and soundtracks that this anime had. I was too busy looking at all the boobs and the fanservice. But the sounds are all just... mediocre. There is nothing remarkable here, and you probably won`t remember the OP song more than a week after watching this. So, for me at least, it wasn`t worthy of anything more than a 5 at best.
CHARACTER: 6
The characters are really the bread and butter of this show. They are basically the only reason I`m giving this anime a 6 instead of a 5. Even though all of the characters are hopelessly in love with the main protagonist (for anime reasons), I still found them somewhat funny and enjoyable. They all have different personalities, which you can clearly see by the way they act around Kurusu, or as I like to call him, "Harem King". My personal favorite has to be the Lamia, Miia. Her quite frankly extreme love for Kurusu made for some pretty funny scenes, and I gotta admit, she made me laugh on more than one occasion. I also like her boobs.
ENJOYMENT: 7
I`m gonna be completely honest with you guys: even though the anime is mediocre at best, I still found it pretty enjoyable. Even if you absolutely hate this anime with every fiber of your being, I`m pretty sure that somewhere, deep inside of you, you enjoyed it a little bit. Some of the scenes made me laugh out loud, and it`s kind of hard to find an anime these days that can make me do that. You just gotta take this anime for what it is. Mindless fun.
OVERALL: 6
Even though the anime itself is nothing more than mediocre, I still think it`s worth a shot. The humor and character that this show has really makes it something quite... special (totally not related to the fact that the first episode literally starts with an orgasm). If you don`t like it then hey, just turn it off. Nobody is forcing you to watch through the entire thing. But I would recommend that you give it a shot. If nothing more, I can promise you that you will at least have what can only be described as the weirdest boner of your life. Now if you will excuse me, I`m gonna go "release" some pent-up sexual energy.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jul 1, 2016
First of all, I think I should mention that I went into this anime without any expectations what so ever. The only way I knew that this even existed was because a friend of mine kept recommending me to watch it. So lets get on with the actual review.
WARNING: THIS REVIEW INCLUDES SOME MAJOR SPOILERS, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE SHOW YET, GO DO SO!
Now lets be honest here, the story that White Fox has written isn't going to win any prices. A guy leaves his village with his two best friends to work in the Capital (the main city where most of the
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action takes place) for money and wealth, so he can save said village from starvation and poverty. Upon arriving in the Capital, he realizes that the political side of the city is completely rotten and corrupt, and because of typical anime reasons (best friends gets killed) he ends up joining a gang of assassins called Night Raid, whom are out to overthrow the current government.
Now, there are three big gripes that I have with the story. The first one is how the story starts. After arriving in the Capital, our main hero Tatsumi gets invited to spend the night at a rich household's house. He quickly learns that the family he is staying with is a bunch of sadists, who loves to pick up poor people on the street and torture them (because of reasons). This is how he is introduced to the members of Night Raid. They are on a mission to assassinate the entire sadist family, and Tatsumi just kinda gets stuck in the midst of it all. He learns that the family has captured and killed his two best friends (the ones he left his village with), and becomes so enraged he actually kills one of the familymembers in cold blood.
Now this is where the story started falling apart for me. Just minutes into the first episode, and the writers decide to kill off the main protagonists best friends. This was obviously meant to be a very sad and touching moment for the viewer, but due to the fact that there has literally been no character developement what so ever, you just don't really care about their deaths at all.
My second gripe is somewhat related to the first one. Akame Ga Kill is an anime that loves to kill off characters. You essentially watch Night Raid's members getting killed off one after the other. until there is literally only two people left alive in the end. Don't get me wrong, I love animes that have the balls to kill off some of their main characters, but how Akame Ga Kill does it is just wrong. The anime kills off characters before you even get connected to them, making you care very little about their deaths.
My last gripe is how the story ended. The anime basically decides to kill off every other character besides Akame and the leader of Night Raid. Including the main character, Tatsumi. Now, since this anime is called Akame Ga Kill, you would expect Akame to play a big role in the show. The truth is, she really doesn't. Almost every other character in this anime is more interesting than Akame, and why the creators decided to essentially kill all of the most interesting characters, and only leave the most boring one alive in the end is simply beyond me. The ending would have been 5 times better if Akame died instead of Tatsumi, because lets be honest, you don't really give a f**k about Akame.
Other than that, I don't really have any other gripes with the show. The art style and animation is for the most part top-notch, and while the fighting is mediocre, it still holds up to anime standards, and provides an enjoyable experience. The two opening songs are pretty good, certainly not the best, but pretty good. The sound-effects are superb, and especially during fighting scenes (which there are a lot of).
So bottom line is: It's a pretty good anime. The story and characters could definently use some work, but the anime is held up by its great art style and animations. The music is also pretty good. There is a lot of fun to be had watching this anime, and I would definently recommend it to anyone looking for some good action.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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